Love and Let Live
by Crickes
Summary: Chase Collins, son of silk mogul and of Ipswich. Unaccepted in his rightful place among his Covenant brothers, but then, so had his forefathers. He’s got the money and the looks. But you know what they say about the one thing money can’t buy.
1. Alive

**Love and Let Live**

**Chapter 1: Alive**

Chase couldn't really remember what had happened. He had woken up, with the mother of all migraines throbbing in his head, feeling like he was re-living that time when he had drunk way too much and had to nurse the after-effects of it.

"Relax there." A very familiar voice had told him.

He opened his eyes. "Provost Higgins?" He asked, incredulously.

"Or what I choose to appear to you as." He corrected Chase.

Chase looked around. Everything was so… white.

"Am I in Heaven?" He asked the 'Provost'.

The man just threw back his head and laughed. "Chase, Chase, Chase." He mocked. "Do you really expect to go to Heaven after all you've done?"

Reluctantly, Chase shook his head. Of course; killing his parents, that student at the Dells Party and trying to kill Caleb would have to come with a price. But truly, Chase had that tiny, little flame of hope that he might someday end Up there.

"You should be thanking your stars that you are even _alive_." Provost Higgins, or whoever he was, continued.

"Who are you?" Chase demanded. "Where am I?"

"Where you are is not important. What's important is that - well, let's just call him _God_, shall we? – _God_ had decided to give you a second chance."

"_God_?" Chase asked, already starting to laugh at the _ridicule_ of all this. "Second chance?"

"Yes, well," The elderly man looked at Chase as if he were something lesser. "It would be hopeless for me to assume that you hold a certain regard for him?"

"Terribly." Chase nodded.

The 'Provost' just shook his head at him. "Even in death, you are a extreme ingrate." He muttered but Chase caught his words.

"Wait a minute… death?" Chase sputtered. "Dude, I thought you said I was lucky to be alive."

The other man merely rolled his eyes. "I meant, for the moment. And only if you accepted the terms and conditions."

He turned away from Chase and the younger man panicked. "What makes you think I won't?"

The 'Provost' turned back to him, a sly smile on his face. Chase narrowed his eyes at the quirk in the other man's mouth. "Would you?"

"I could Use my power." Chase threatened the man. "Force you to make me alive again." Usually, when he intimidated someone, he felt he was in power. Yet, right now, why did he feel that his threat was empty? Even worse, he felt sure the other man knew it.

"Could you?" Provost Higgins grinned and Chase was caught off-guard. After all, he _had_ been used to seeing this being as his principal; a weak, faint-hearted old thing who would snap in half if he fell down. Now, the aura he was radiating was so different.

Chase brought up a hand, willing his power to channel an energy ball into his palm. Nothing happened. Even worse, when he tried to search for it in his soul, he found only emptiness. Panic coursed through him at an amazing speed. "What--- how… who _are_ you?"

* * *

"And so you see Chase, if you don't agree to accept this, then you go back." 

"Back where?"

"Hell." The 'Provost' said it as if it was the most natural thing.

"Oh." He didn't know what else to say. Suddenly, the fear, the anger and the confusion from before all just tumbled out of him. "What kind of a sick game is this anyway? I mean, what _god_ would give someone a second chance? Someone who---"

"Has a future in front of him." The Provost interrupted.

"Go back home, Chase. It's not your time unless you say it is. And if you say it isn't, you just head back." The Provost suddenly said.

"Where--- back to Ipswich? Caleb would kill me if he saw me… again." Chase gulped.

"No. I think you've done enough damage in Massachusetts." The other man said slowly. A slight shiver ran down Chase's spine. There could be only one place the 'Provost' was talking about.

"Rhode Island?" Chase asked.

"Rhode Island." The other man confirmed. He placed a hand on Chase's shoulder and gently, but firmly, guided him forwards.

"But why?" Chase demanded. They had come to a stop.

The 'Provost', or angel, as Chase had earlier learned, pulled open a door. Chase didn't know how he knew where it was; everywhere was so damn _white_! He peered into the other side. He couldn't tell where it was.

"Because it's your _destiny._" And before Chase could say anything else, he had pushed Chase through the doorway. _But, wait! You haven't told me… where am I going? Who is _she_? Noooooooo!_

* * *

"Master Collins?" A distant, but rather familiar, voice called. "Master Collins, please _do_ wake up! You're running late!" 

Chase groaned as he opened his eyes. The family butler hovered in his face. "AAAAAH!" He yelled before he could stop himself. He rolled over… only to land on the floor with a slight thud. He struggled to stand up, tangled in all his bed sheets. "UGH! Oh-kay… body check." He started patting his torso, checking for anything missing – or additional – and to his immense relief, found none.

"Are… are you alright, Master Collins?" Lionel hesitated as he, unfortunately, witnessed the groping.

"Perfect." Chase flashed him a fake mega-watt smile, showing off his teeth. "Is breakfast ready?"

"Well…ah… yes, yes. It is. If you are." Lionel stumbled on a few words, still caught up in what had occurred moments ago.

"Wonderful." Chase still had on that grin and he knew he was arousing slight suspicion from the old butler. "I'll be down in just a sec."

The butler hesitated, then nodded and left the room, closing the doors behind him. Chase let out a huge breath of relief. Then he started patting his body again, even running to the mirror to make sure that he hadn't dropped into some freaky 'Hot Chick' movie. Just in case.

What had _happened_? When had the angel dropped him? What year was this anyway? From what he could see, his appearance hadn't changed at all. _So that pegs it._ He thought. _I'm either seventeen or still eighteen. Have Mom and Dad even _died_ yet?_ He felt no guilt in killing his parents; if you could call them parents. They adopted him for the publicity; silk tycoon Arthur Collins and his wife adopting a poor baby from the orphanage brought the spotlight on the industrialist. And Arthur Collins _loved_ attention. So much he forgot to give any to his son.

Helen Collins cared nothing either for Chase: she was more concerned about her fashion line; the finest silk being sponsored by her husband who gained a share of her profits. The only time they seemed to shower any TLC onto him was in public. When they had to go to company functions, they went together and pretended that Chase meant the world to them and so created the illusion of a perfect family. Not to say that he didn't get anything he wanted. He was Chase Collins. And Chase Collins _always_ got what he wanted.

_Well guess what the perfect little son did in the end?_ Chase thought angrily. If it hadn't been for Lionel and Doris, the housekeeper, Chase wouldn't have been able to survive the other sixteen years of his life sane. Or at least, pretending to be sane.

"Master Collins?" Lionel's anxious voice filtered through the closed doors. "Are you alright in there?"

"Yeah, fine." He answered. "Just going to take a shower."

_And I'll make it a cold one._ He just hoped it would wake him up.

* * *

A/N: Okay, I thought I would try a Chase-fic and see how it would turn out. Comment on this one, please! 


	2. Birds of a Feather

**Love and Let Live**

**Chapter 2: Birds of A Feather**

The black Mercedes pulled into the school grounds and heads everywhere swiveled to look who had arrived. Oh, yes, of course… Chase Collins, everyone thought deprecatingly. Second richest guy in the school (First richest guy was an absolute nerd and so he didn't count in the social hierarchy) and… well, Chase Collins wasn't exactly popular but everyone knew his name and everyone knew who he was. He wasn't as well talked about as the football players but his name always turned up some way or another in conversations. In summary, he was _there_.

He hung out with the best; Eric Lee, a playboy through-and-through, with a witty tongue to flirt, tease and insult anyone below him. Cameron Ellis was also a good friend, a friendly Afro-American who didn't start out offensive but time spent with Eric and Chase brought out that unpleasant side of him. Still, Cameron was a natural with the ladies and while he _did_ shower a little more care to his catch-of-the-week, they always did end up broken-hearted and used. Both had money. Chase fell right in with them and ever since, they'd been all that _birds of a feather flock together_ or whatever that old proverb said.

"Hey, hey, hey. Well, look who's back!" Eric grinned as he saw his best mate walking towards him. Chase grinned back. Fooling around with Eric and Cam weren't that all bad. They didn't know his secret and that was probably for the best. Otherwise, he'd have to kill them. Cam stood up and bumped shoulders with Chase, their hands clasped together momentarily in greeting. Eric just sat; surrounded by the usual hoes he always had (you never know when one might come in handy) and waited for Chase to approach him. The girl who had been stroking his left ear made space for Chase and he dropped down beside Eric, flashing his cutest smile at the girl, who giggled like a lovesick fourteen-year old.

"'Sup, bro?" Eric asked as they bumped fists. "I thought you ain't coming round here no more after you transferred to whatshisname school."

"Spencer." Chase told Eric. Without him asking for it, Chase had already been provided the information he needed. He was in present time; the angel had dropped him in where he would be if he had still been alive and gone back to Rhode Island. He hadn't dared to ask Lionel at breakfast. The empty chairs in front of him were no clue; Arthur and Helen never ate with him. He had tried to Use a little but it was no use; his powers were gone. "Nah. It was too… strict. Can't do this, can't do that, ya know." All this while, Cam had listened with a sympathetic ear while Eric had gotten bored after his first two words.

"Yeah, well, we're glad you're back." Cam said. "There are a few issues to take care of."

Chase usually wasn't so privy to whatever 'issues' Eric and Cam had but the seriousness in Cam's tone made him curious. "Such as?"

But before Cam could answer, a teenager with an extremely boyish face bounded towards them. "Hey guys!" He greeted cheerily.

"Him." Cam stared at the boy. "Nicky… aren't you supposed to be in class?"

"School hasn't started yet." The boy answered, unfazed. He stared at Chase for a moment. "Oh, hey, you must be Chase Collins! Yeah, they told me about you!" Chase blinked at him. The boy was hopping about excitedly on the grass.

He leaned in towards Cam. "Who is he?" He asked through gritted teeth.

Obviously _Nicky_ heard him.

"Oh, sorry. Nick Sullivan." The boy extended a hand and Chase shook it. "Son of SODI's Executive Producer, Greg Sullivan."

"Oh. Right." _Whatever_. Chase thought. Obviously, this guy was trying to ingratiate himself into the trio by flaunting his wealth but Chase didn't see that happening anytime soon. It didn't help your cause that you mentioned that you were related to your father's rival in industry either. Chase didn't know that much about his father's business but he knew enough that SODI was a major competitor in the silk market.

"Oh My God, can you _believe_ her? I mean from what _era_ did she pick those clothes out from?" One of Eric's girls announced loudly. Everyone sitting at the wooden table turned to see a girl, whose style was probably more Goth than ghetto, walk past, completely immersed in a book.

Eric stood up and blocked her path. The girl looked up. Chase recognized her instantly. Judy Carter. Images of when he'd bullied her, stole her lunch in fourth grade and pushed her into the gutter flashed through his head. "Where you going in such a hurry, Judy baby?" Eric slung an arm around Judy's shoulders. Everyone knew that Judy was a pretty girl; if only she wouldn't hide all that behind her make-up.

"Hey let her go!" A boy stepped in, throwing Eric's arm away and dragging Judy behind his back.

Everyone ooh-ed. "Who's this?" One of Eric's girls demanded. "The gothic bitch's little boyfriend?"

"_Best_ friend." The boy corrected.

"_Whoever_ you are," Eric cut off. "Stay out of our business."

"Leaving right now." The boy agreed. Chase got the impression that while he had no respect for Eric and his friends whatsoever, he still wasn't stupid enough to pick a fight with them. Before Eric could stop him, he had already dragged Judy away and they were soon lost, blending in with the crowd swarming the grounds.

"Who's that?" Chase wondered out loud amidst Eric's cursing.

"Some no-good geek scum called Eddy." Eric snarled.

"Hey, cool it." Cam ordered. "So we beat him up after school. It's no big."

"He doesn't respect us, Cam!" Eric exclaimed. "And all you wanna do is _beat_ him?"

"Well, we can't _shoot_ him, that's for sure." Cam retorted. The bell rang suddenly and everyone around them started rushing into the buildings, eager to be early and not give any reason for the teacher to hold them back aka detention. "C'mon, bell's rung. Let's get to class." Eric's hoes had already scrammed so the three guys made their way to class, with an annoyingly persistent Nicky at their heels. _He's like a dog_, Chase mused. _A little puppy just dying for half the attention we could give him._

"You know, I enjoy time spent with you and all," Chase turned around and covered the doorway to class with his body. Nick was a year younger than they were so – thankfully – they didn't have the same classes. Nick had walked them to and back from classes, so Cam had told him while Eric kept Nick's attention diverted with his antics of grabbing the butts of girls passing by. "But uh… well, if we were seen hanging out together, KIFT might think I'm giving away company secrets."

KIFT; that was the stupid name of the stupid company his stupid dad had built up single-handedly. Which now belonged to Chase. The board had been generous; they knew Chase needed to complete his education so they gave him a decision; to sell the shares he owned or to become an apprentice to one of the company's producer. After all, Chase had dropped by sometime at his father's request. Chase had asked – throwing in his best puppy-pleading face – for a few years to decide. What was the difference anyway?

Nick forced out a weak laugh. "Heh. Right."

Chase shut the door in his face.

"Aah… Mister Collins; you join us yet again." Mr. Forman, Chase's English teacher, beamed.

"Right when you think you've gotten rid of me, I just keep coming back, don't I?" Chase smiled back.

"Ahahaha… _exactly_." Mr. Forman laughed. Everyone thought they were buddies. Nobody recognized the sarcasm and venom hidden behind their words, masked by the honeyed tone and smile. The teacher picked up his clipboard, containing the seating arrangements. "Well, seeing as you left, I moved the list up and now Michael Kirkpatrick has taken his place as Cameron Ellis' seating partner so I'm going to have to put you at the end of the list… with Miss Amber Everett." Chase immediately headed for the last table in the last row, rolling his eyes as he went. Trust the English teacher to treat them like third-graders, arranging how they sat.

He slammed himself down into his seat with such a noise that his classmates around him flinched and Mr. Forman looked up at him. "Mister Collins, if you don't know how to sit quietly without sounding like a crashing meteorite, then I suggest you head back to kindergarten and learn." The class laughed, thinking it was a tease but Chase only smiled back at the Professor, narrowing his eyes as he did so.

"We'll start this off by handing up last week's assignment for those of you who haven't handed it up yesterday. Kevin Noble, I know you don't _have_ a dog so don't try that excuse! Amanda Cassels; I don't _care_ if your eighteenth aunt's dead…" By then Chase had lost any little interest he had invested into the lesson. Instead, he chose to study his new partner. He couldn't really see her face properly; it was hidden behind a curtain of dark hair as she tilted her head to one side, writing furiously on a piece of paper.

"This will be coming up for your mid-years… copy the notes written on the board into your notes and you will do well to revise it." The students groaned as they pulled out their pens and notepaper.

Chase looked around in his bag for his pencil-case, and then cursed as he remembered that he hadn't packed it.

"Here." His new partner held up a pen, almost poking him in the eye.

"Uh… thanks." It bothered him slightly that he still hadn't seen her face.

"No prob." Was the short reply.

Chase put the pen down on the table, lifted himself off his seat and leaned in towards the guy in front of him, turning his head slightly. He was trying to get a good look at her. Who the heck was she anyway? The girl seemed to notice him and she inclined her head slightly his way.

"Mr. Collins!" Mr. Forman's voice surprised him so much he went down to the floor in a crash. "What _are_ you doing?"

"Just… just…" He stammered, unable to find a good reason. Scratch that, he needed a _great_ reason.

"Oh!" The Professor threw up his hands impatiently. "Just get in your seat!"

"Yes, sir."

He pushed his table and chair upright again, then realized that his notepaper was missing. "Here." The girl handed him the blank sheets. He looked up at her and grinned.

"Thanks." He extended a hand. "Uh… Chase Collins."

"I know who you are." The girl shook it. "Amber Everett."

"Nice to meet you."

Amber laughed softly. "Oh? But you've already met me."

Chase was confused. Had he? Where? When? He was about to ask her when the Professor turned to face the class. "No more talking." His face was set in hard lines and Chase quickly picked up a pen and scribbled down the pointers as fast as he could, hoping to get some extra time to try and talk to the girl. Everett. _Everett_. Now, where had he heard that name before? Tough luck though; they were copying notes all period in absolute silence and no whispering, however soft, was allowed.

When the bell rang, everyone almost whooped with joy as they packed up their stuff and headed for the door. Chase threw his notepapers into his bag and was about to turn to ask Amber Everett where he had heard her name before, when he spotted her at the door, already exiting. With a slight twinge of disappointment, he slung his bag over his shoulder and caught Eric just on his way out.

He lost no time in getting to the point. "Eric… who was that girl sitting beside me?"

"Which girl?" Eric's forehead creased as he tried to remember.

"Her name's Amber Everett. Rated a 4 out of 10, dark hair with a slight-ish, brown-ish tint with really nice eyes." Cam helpfully provided.

As Chase mouthed 'a 4 out of 10' disbelievingly, Eric was finally reminded of Amber Everett. "Oh _that_ Everett… didn't you use to insult her?"

Chase almost stumbled. "Insult her?" He echoed. "For what?"

"Her braces and her glasses. Nerd." Eric mumbled under his breath.

Chase struggled to bring the memory to surface. "Finally, she's removed them. Has got some remarkable pearly-whites now, all in order." Cam laughed. "Discovered contacts a week after you left or so."

"Yeah but a four out of ten? I thought she would have rated a six or seven."

"Would have." Cam nodded. "If she weren't hanging out with them." He pointed his chin in the general direction of the lockers.

Chase looked. She was laughing with Judy Carter and Eddy Smiths, both of them who had been his victims – or victims of his friends, which didn't really matter – once upon a time. _Well, didn't they say birds of a feather flocked together?_ Chase thought unhappily.

* * *

A/N: Sorry if this chapter turned out crappy, as in the part where I try to place Chase in the high school scene. I swear it's easier to write a story about Voldemort in his pre-Dark Lord days where he falls in love with another student. Chase is... unpredictable so I'm trying my best and hopefully, it's good enough for you readers. 

**_Crickes_**


	3. 14 July 2006

**Love and Let Live**

**Chapter 3: 14 July 2006**

**A/N:** Okay, I know that Chase was born in Haversfield but I don't _know_ any Haversfield because it definitely doesn't exist and I don't feel confident with creating something out of thin air so I bent the universe slightly and now he's in Rhode Island.

Over the next few days, Chase found out the hard way that without powers, he could no longer cheat off homework and make the pages write itself. Already, he had landed himself three detentions in a week and having no desire to sit and stare at the board for three hours straight, trying to ignore the pathetic attempts at seduction from the girl sitting next to him and the freshman on the other side picking his nose, he headed off to the library to get some research done on his newest assignment and ensure himself a B at the very least. He grabbed the nearest book on American History and scanned through it uninterestedly. This really _was_ Hell. The angel might as well have screwed his choice and just sent him back down under after all.

At least, that was what he thought as he took brief peeks at events that happened millenniums before his time. Seriously, why should he even _care_? He looked up from the book, just willing himself to take a deep breath and try being a mortal again. _Think about how it was when you were thir---_ But he never got to complete that thought.

Amber Everett sat, her head propped on a fist, her dark hair cascading over her shoulders. Chase got the impression she liked it that way. He also suspected she was particularly frustrated at the text lying across the table in front of her. Grinning, he made his way towards her table. She never saw him coming.

"Hey." He called softly, placing his book on the table.

She looked up at him.

"Mind if I sit?"

She seemed to look around at the tables surrounding them, as if about to direct him to an empty space anywhere else. Fortunately for him, there were none. She didn't say anything; just a slight lift of her eyebrows and a small polite smile quirking up the side of her lips as she cleared up her books to make space for him. Chase pulled out the chair and once he was comfortable, he opened his book to a random page and leaned back, not bothering to hide the fact that he was scrutinizing her. In response, her head seemed to bend a little lower towards the table that for a moment, he thought she had fallen asleep.

"So… what're you studying?" He looked at the book she was poring over.

She still didn't say anything; just picked up the large book and turned it over so he could read the title.

"Twelfth Night." He nodded. " For school?"

She cocked an eyebrow, the only answer he would get.

"Ah… I see. Not in the talking mood, are we?" Chase teased.

Amber glared at him.

"You know, I can help you with that." Chase continued.

Amber retained her look of sarcasm. "Oh yeah, _riiiiight_. I can just see you staying up all night to read Shakespeare."

Chase felt a pang hit his heart. He didn't know exactly what the feeling was. Funny thing was, he _had_ stayed up all night to read Shakespeare. Off the top of his head, he could list a few that had _really_ caught his interest and had read. Examples were _The Merchant of Venice_, _The Tempest_, _Measure for Measure_ and his all-time favourite – coincidentally and ironically – _Twelfth Night_.

"Why not?" He defended himself. "Don't I look like the guy who reads Shakespeare?"

Amber tilted her head to one side as if assessing him and Chase tried his best to look charming.

"Nope." She finally said, then returned to her book.

Chase was bewildered. "Why not?" He asked again. "And who _do_ I look like?"

Amber looked him squarely in the eye. In her hazel eyes, he saw a twinkle of mischief but mostly, intelligence. She had what it took to combat him in a verbal debate. "The guy who flips through Maxim every once in five minutes to make sure he's _prepared_ in case one of the school whores approach him."

Chase almost burst out laughing. "Trust me; I am _always_ prepared."

Amber only snorted before returning to her book. "That remains to be seen." She replied loftily. If there hadn't been a book between them, Chase would have caught the brief look of surprise that flashed across her face. Amber hadn't even _thought_ about saying them out loud… it just _happened_! On the other side of the mini barrier, Chase was wondering what had just occurred. Was she _flirting_ with him? If she was, all the better. Chase Collins loved offering people hope, only to snatch it away on a later date. Of course, the task that he was to complete before his deadline was up _completely _slipped his mind.

_Besides_, he thought. _I _need _the entertainment._

* * *

"The name of the partner assigned to you, together with the details of your project should be on your tables." Professor Wharton wheezed. A man in his seventies, he was definitely _not_ getting any younger; a slight bending over might just crack him in half. Chase leaned towards his desk. With luck, he'd get Cam or Eric. Preferably the former since it meant that there would actually be _someone_ to share the workload with.

He scanned the paper for a name and when he found it, his eyes widened and he looked immediately to his right.

* * *

Amber couldn't believe it. Could _not_ believe it. She had spent a good part of her life avoiding this guy or had the teacher finally gone blind? She crossed her arms over her chest, leaned back in her chair and scrunched up her face. She knew it was childish but she didn't care. She also knew for a fact that he was watching her, probably hoping that she would look at him. Well, she was not going to satisfy him by proving him right. For the rest of the lesson, Amber ignored her stalker until at the end, when everyone else had left the classroom; she practically stomped up to the teacher's desk and demanded a change of partners.

"There can be no change." Professor Wharton told her firmly. "You are to stick to your partner for the rest of this term. No exceptions."

She whipped around; heading for the door when she realized Chase was still sitting at his desk, hands folded. He looked smug. _Just you wait, Collins. You're not winning this round!_ She almost tore the door off its hinges as she slammed it behind her.

* * *

Amber tossed her backpack onto the dining room table slammed the door closed before throwing herself onto her living room couch. The apartment was empty; she was its only occupant. As if on cue, a loud bark and a sudden yowl sounded, reminding her that she wasn't all that alone in this world.

She glanced at a photo frame, placed beside the telephone and sighed sadly. It had been three weeks. Three weeks since her parents had died in that car accident. It had been a stormy night; probably the worst Providence had ever seen. Lightning and thunder raged in the skies above that night, an anger she had never seen before. She had been the sole survivor of the car crash. What happened exactly that tumultuous night she would never know. Everything had been so confusing; horns blaring everywhere… people screaming… the screech of tires… and then… just darkness.

She had awakened three days later after a brief coma. It had taken her a week to stop grieving; she hadn't eaten, hadn't stepped outside. Had just cooped herself up in her room until she didn't even know what day it was. Was it Tuesday or Friday? Did it matter? No. All that mattered was that her parents; the greatest supporters of her life were gone.

_And now I've gotta deal with bastards… people like Chase Collins on my own. _She sighed. Surely God had something else planned for her; He couldn't just have abandoned her. She had prayed, every moment of her life ever since she had been old enough and right then, she prayed that someone would come save her from her life of lonesomeness. Sure, Judy and Eddy were there but for how long? She needed something else; something stronger to anchor her heart in the right place.

Shaking her head, she headed into the room to take a cold shower and calm her two excited pets who had started to get restless. _Give it up, Amber. God probably has more things to worry about than you._

The picture of her parents sat on the black wooden table, unforgotten and there to be reminisced when the scars weren't so deep like they were now.

They died on July, 14th 2006.

* * *

A/N: Ba dum dum... again with the cheesiness, I know. Sorry that it's so short but I've been so busy with time restrictions on the computer, set by the one and only Mom and school so just make do with this. Anyhoo... review if you want me to continue LaLL. Thank you!

* * *

_**Crickes**_


	4. Too Tired To Feel

**Love and Let Live**

**Chapter 4: Too Tired To Feel**

**_Special thanks to _waterwicca _for the amazing encouragement. Also thanks to _RedRogue_ who has been one of my most remarkable supporter. You guys are the kizziest people on the planet!_**_ (P.S.: It means 'coolest' and _**RedRogue**_ asked me to spread it, lols!)_

Chase flipped through the pages of the thin folder, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise as he rolled two words around his tongue. _Twelfth Night_. He frowned as he tried to remember. _Twelfth Night…_ Wasn't that the book Everett had been reading in the library that day? How had she known? Oh, well.

He had been watching her. Not purposely, of course… _accidentally_. His eyes seemed not to be in his absolute control; they were always darting around until it fell on her. His ears; they were tuned in to her voice, her laughter as she sat with her dorky friends.

It was so strange.

Chase didn't feel like he knew why, though he realized that some part of him might have a clue; it was merely the fact that he did not _want_ to find out! It didn't seem to stop even during lesson time; he would always find himself looking towards her general direction. _Damn it!_ He would always curse angrily under his breath. _Get a grip on yourself!_ When he had meant that he needed the entertainment, it should have come from her. _She_ should have been the one staring at _him_. So when had it all screwed up?

* * *

_One week later..._

Since the assignment was due in ninety days, Amber hadn't approached him as of present but he was confident that she would in a week. After all, wasn't she the studious little bookworm, a vintage Hermione Granger who wouldn't have wasted a second of her life _not_ doing homework? Chase thought so. Boy was he wrong.

_Alright._ Chase gritted his teeth angrily. _Alright. I'll do it. I'm going to be the perfect little gentleman and ask _her. _I _still _can't believe I'm doing it. _He caught sight of her by the lockers; a mass of wavy dark curls falling oh-so-naturally over her shoulder. "Everett!" He started jogging. "HEY, EVERETT!" This time she heard him and when she turned to face him, he could tell that she had already recognized his voice from the first time and that she was annoyed with him. Ouch.

"Collins." She acknowledged him coldly.

"Can I have a word?" He ignored her tone.

"You can have ten."

"I'll take what I can get." He held out both hands, counting down his words. "When're-we-gonna-get-that-project-done?" He grinned at her. "Seven."

"Eight, actually." She corrected. "When _are_. 'When're' is _not_ a word."

"Is so." Chase protested.

Amber rolled her eyes. "Whatever. I am _not_ gonna engage in childish games with you, okay, Collins?"

"Or you can call me Chase."

"No, thanks. Collins suits me fine."

"Whatever you say, _Amber_. I'll see you Wednesday, two o' clock in the library." He brushed past her, not giving her a chance to protest.

Amber glared at his retreating back before she realized something. He had called her Amber.

* * *

Chase peeked around the Fictional bookshelf, smiling to himself as he saw his prey shift around in her seat. It was 2:10 and she was definitely mad. He could see it on her face, her forehead slightly creased as she glanced for the tenth time at her watch. Her mouth twitched as it fought itself against scowling. She had walked through the school library's glass doors at a minute to two, looking every bit an unclassified student.

Three-quarter pants, a red sleeveless shirt and sweater and her hair untied, as always. Like he said, _unclassified_. She neither belonged here nor there. She associated with almost every social circle – except Eric's, for obvious reasons – and she was liked by… well, everyone. Everyone she didn't _dislike_, that was. She hung out a lot with the school geeks. Problem was, she didn't _look_ like a geek so everyone conveniently forgot whom she spent a lot of time around and just befriended her.

His target looked yet again at the watch, and then crossed her arms over her chest, giving a small '_hmph_'. Chase glanced at his own watch, deciding that if there was ever a time to make his entrance, it would be now. He swept around the other tables, moving quickly so she wouldn't see him until he was standing in front of her. Speaking of which…

"Hey!" He dropped unceremoniously onto the chair opposite her, making sure he looked smug. She moved so quickly that he barely saw it and before he could stop her, his head turned to the right under the pressure of the blow, his cheek stinging. Immediately, his right hand flew to cup his right cheek as he stared at the fuming brunette in disbelief.

Amber didn't say anything; just grabbed her backpack, threw it over her shoulder and stalked off, leaving behind a crowd of gaping onlookers. Did that girl just _really_ hit Chase Collins? They quickly looked at the victim of Amber Everett's rage but Chase's face was devoid of emotion. Suddenly Chase was overwhelmed by a multitude of emotions. Anger, shock, hatred… and maybe just a hint of lust. For once in his eighteen years of life, Chase wondered what it would have been like to just grab someone you loathed the most and kiss her senseless. A moment later, Chase would have been stunned at the question he had just asked himself.

_I guess you go bonkers after not being able to do what you're best at. _Chase thought. _Using_. Ah… how he missed it. He hadn't seen that angel ever since he had been dropped back to life and that had been two weeks ago. Maybe if he prayed real hard?… Nah, he had never been religious, and besides, why ask God for more when He had already given you life? Another shocking thought. Mankind was never satisfied with what it already had. They always had to have more.

* * *

Days passed and Chase hardly saw Amber. He didn't think of her that much after the incident at the library, which was weird because his dreams were filled with her. Her slapping him, her walking down the school hallway, laughing all the while and looking pretty much like the happiest girl in the world. And then there were _those_ dreams, which didn't make sense at all.

But with each passing day after, Chase began to feel more apprehensive. The deadline was nearing and she didn't seem to be ready to come up to him anytime soon. Could she finally have persuaded Professor Wharton to assign her a new partner? His anxiety proved to be in vain, as Friday, two weeks after the incident at the library, arrived.

He had been meddling with the contents of his locker, in a trance as he started to drift away, staring at a photo of his adoptive parents. He still hadn't thrown it out. "Collins?" His heart stopped when he heard her voice. Only one person would call him that. He turned around.

Amber stood, her fingers playing with each other nervously, as she looked everywhere but in his direction. He held his tongue. "Uh… listen. I've decided to divide our project into half. I'm already working on my part so I wanted to give you yours and a week before the deadline, you just hand your work to me and I'll combine them, kay?" She spoke quickly as if afraid he might protest, all the while staring at her feet, which had begun to move as restlessly as her fingers. "Points 6 to 10 are all yours." She looked up at him for a moment, a moment which lasted for an eternity. Then she looked away, uttered a quick goodbye before walking off.

Her 'walking off' wasn't as quick as her goodbye and Chase was able to reach her in a few long strides, grab her by her elbow and spin her around to face him. All at once, those emotions that had been present last two Wednesdays, surfaced again. Thankfully, the hallway was deserted so they could drop everything and start a screaming match if it came to that. Chase certainly wasn't going to let her walk away that easily. He needed something, or someone to spend his emotions on; he had never been good at bottling up. Last time, it had been Eric who had been _his_ victim and he hadn't been too happy about that. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to fight for, but for now, he would just wing it and see where it would take him.

She looked genuinely surprised; she hadn't expected him to pull her back but he knew from one look that she was ready for anything he might throw at her. He had been doing it for the last eighteen years, after all. It was his obligation to start.

"Wait… I don't understand. Why can't we just work _together_ on this?" He emphasized the word, hoping she would get it.

Her brown eyes widened. "_Together_?" She repeated. Chase had a distinct feeling that it was going to backfire on him. "_Together_? Collins, with you, there _is_ no working _together_!" She still called him by his family name, as if he wasn't worthy of her respect, enough to at least warrant a first-name basis between them.

"Why not?" Chase questioned, frustrated.

"For starters, you were _late_ that Wednesday. Maybe if _I_ had suggested it, then maybe I wouldn't have taken it so hard. To think that you just dropped the time on me and walked off." By now she was practically screaming. Then she took a deep breath and seemed to try to calm down. Chase wasn't anywhere near calm, however. His mouth was open as he gaped wordlessly at her.

Her next few words were spoken in a deep tone, the one where all the actresses in the movies used when they told another person that they never wanted to see them again. "Second of all, I don't _like_ you, Collins. I am _not_ your friend, _okay_? I'm not even your enemy or anything like that. I'm just a girl who was bullied by you when we were kids and I'd like to live my life as far away as possible from _you_. So, _please_. _Leave me alone_."

She walked off, leaving him standing there, rooted to the spot. Chase didn't know what to think. It was as if someone had just reached into him and pulled out his guts while he was on morphine. He felt… hollow. Emotionless. It was like he couldn't feel anything anymore and was too tired to even _try_ to feel. He slammed his locker shut.

* * *

_**Crickes**_


	5. Just Lose Yourself

**Love and Let Live**

**CHP 5: Just Lose Yourself**

It took the guy forty-eight hours to snap out of it and start working. Chase visited the school library everyday now with two reasons reminding him of why he should. Firstly, Amber would kill him if he didn't do his part, not that he should care but strangely, he felt somewhat _intimidated_ by her like it would kill him if he angered or disappointed her any more than he already had. Secondly, well… he wanted to see her. The first thing he did when he entered the library was to scan the large area for the girl with dark brown hair, highlighted with natural red streaks.

Of course, Fate mocked him by making sure he didn't see her except during class. And even then, she was in and out so fast he didn't get a chance to talk to her. Amber seemed to have forgotten about the whole thing; she was more concentrated on her studies, her friends and pretty much life without him bugging her without warning.

And if Chase had ever been troubled with any single philosophical question, it was this that bugged him the most: why was he caring so much about what was happening around him now? Since when had he cared if he had hurt someone's feelings or about his homework? It was a totally new him and he wasn't sure if he liked it.

The assignment was easy enough to complete - Chase was a smart kid, after all and he hadn't had to use his Power to get into Spencer – and he handed it to her during class while the teacher wasn't looking without so much as a word between them. She nodded at him; the smallest of a twinkle in her eye betrayed her gratefulness that he had at least been able to survive the deadline she had given him.

All that while, Chase had had a horrible feeling inside as he watched her store away his work into her bag. Now that the assignment was considered completed, didn't it mean he had no cause whatsoever to talk to her? He hated that. Amber might not have been a friend but she had been there for him to tease and just throw whatever came into his head at, a person he knew would throw something right back at him and he'd have a silent laugh. She just seemed _fun_ to be around though he hadn't actually been around her all that much but he had definitely been counting on getting to know her more by using the assignment as a cover. His hopes had been dashed and his relationship with her had worsened.

What he didn't know was that Fate wasn't playing fair in the game of life; it wouldn't let him see her enough yet it would intertwine their lives. It was possibly more torturous than Hell, being human.

-

Chase pushed the glass door of the school library, using his back and he had only put one foot out when a girl dashed past him and in doing so, caused him to drop his papers and books. "Oh my god!" He heard the girl cry. _You betcha, lady._ He thought dryly. _God officially hates me and he's gonna opt for having people trip me up. Cheap, low, dirty trick…_ "I'm so sorry." _Say it like you mean it, sister._ To his surprise, the girl dropped to her knees and started helping him to stack up his books and pick up his papers.

"Really, you don't have to… oh. Hey."

Amber opened her mouth once, before closing it again before tilting her head to one side and giving him a small smile. "Hey, Collins."

"You… don't have to…" He gestured to the books scattered all over the floor.

"Oh, no, I insist. Since I was the one to make you drop these books, I should be the one to help pick them up." She reasoned.

"Thanks." Chase replied reluctantly.

" 'Welcome." She answered easily, busying herself with the task of grabbing loose papers as Chase started to organize them on his arm. Once she had finished, she had looked at him sympathetically. "You sure you can manage?"

"Yup." Chase answered with difficulty, as he stood up slowly, afraid of making the books fall.

"What're you carrying all these books for?" Amber asked, nodding at the large stack. "You gone all out to declare a war on the bookworms of this high school or something? Try to steal their material?"

Chase gaped. "Is there one second in which you don't think of me as pure evil?"

"Rarely." She quipped. She looked apologetically at him, then took of a third of his load. "Where're you going with this?"

"As a matter of fact, to the Art Department."

"Gonna raid the paint stock too?"

Chase glowered. "You know, you could just---"

"Okay, okay… just joking, that's all. You need to loosen up."

"Loosen up?" Chase scoffed. "Isn't _someone_ being a hypocrite here?" Amber stopped abruptly but Chase just passed by her.

"Just hold up a minute there!" She suddenly yelled. She caught up with him and stood in front of him so that he wouldn't be able to move. "What dya mean by that? 'hypocrite' ?"

"Hypocrite means a person who pretends to have virtues that she does not actually possess… you know I'm shocked to hear that coming from someone like you, _Everett. _I thought you were supposed to be smarter than the rest of us average students." He taunted before side-stepping her and going on his way.

"I know what it means!" She argued as she tried to keep up with his long strides. "And I'll have you know that I am _not_ a hypocrite."

"Oh really? Then who was it that just told me a few minutes ago to 'loosen up' when she herself screamed at me for being just _ten minutes_ late two days ago?"

"I…" She gawped at him, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. "I…"

"Yeah. _That_, Amber Everett, is a hypocrite. _You_ are a hypocrite." Chase walked off, a new feeling drowning his sorrows. _Collins – 1, Everett – 0_, he thought smugly.

They arrived at the Art Department three minutes later with Amber just three strides behind. "Well, yes, I _am_ aware that the camp needs me and my wife but you _must_ understand… _urgent_ business trip and the school needs me for the Art Festivals… we're representing… yes, well---"

At this point, Chase cleared his throat. He could hear Amber shifting uncomfortably under the heavy weight of the books. "Uh… Professor?"

The middle-aged man looked up from his desk, telephone still in hand, looking absolutely distressed. His mouth formed an 'O' and he gestured with one hand for the both of them to place their burdens on his already cluttered desks. "Replacement?" He asked, his mouth twitching in annoyance. "But where am I going to get…" He suddenly looked up at the both of them and light dawned on his face as he softly sighed in relief. "Yes, I understand. In fact, I've already _got_ substitutes. Be assured they'll arrive on time, as expected."

He put down the receiver with a smile on his face that Chase Collins did not like one bit. Neither did Amber, by the looks of it. "Well, Mr. Collins, Ms. Everett… How'd you like to spend five days as camp councilors at Lake Winnetka?"

-

"I can't believe this! I mean… what did I do? Did I owe him anything in a past life? I mean, JEEZ!!!" Eddy and Judy winced and grimaced in sympathy as their friend raged in the small studio Judy's mom owned. "Five days, four nights with that guy… I'm ready for the mental hospital, guys." 

"On the other hand," Eddy gave his friend a small, hopeful smile. "It'll be an experience you can't afford to miss."

Amber merely glared at him as the young man shrugged his shoulders and looked to Judy for help. "Eddy's right, Amber… I mean, you've got kayaking and… other fun stuff to look forward to. It's better than just hanging around during break, right?"

She slid from her seat and walked over to a small cabinet, pulling open a drawer and handing Amber a cream-coloured envelope. "Look, Nick Sullivan's invited us for his birthday party at his mansion this Saturday… it oughta be fun… you coming?"

Amber shrugged. "Sure… I mean, anything without Chase Collins _should_ be cool, right?"

-

Chase exhaled, utterly and completely bored stiff. The party had nothing much to offer after all, except a free flow of martinis and beer. Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan weren't home so it became apparent that the guests had access to the whole mansion except the rooms which had been locked but Chase would be damned if he thought that would stop some of the more rowdier – and drunk – partygoers.

Still, the small marquee which had been set up featured a classical band which played slow, romantic songs and a few of the more civilized guests danced. He drank up from the bottle in his hand before walking over to the drinks table to get another one. Already, Eric was befouling the area as Belinda – or was it Amy – and him engaged in some serious necking.

As soon as he saw Chase approach, however, Eric pulled himself away from the voluptuous blonde, raising a hand in greeting. "Hey… so does this party suck or what?"

"Or what." Chase agreed. "I haven't been here thirty minutes and I'm already bored."

"Hey, at least Nicky-boy isn't suggesting those games… how do they go again? Hide-and-seek? Piñata? Seven Minutes in Heaven? Yeah… I'd rather take this." Eric grinned as the girl by his side, already bored with the conversation, started to trail kisses down his neck.

"Well, well, well… if it ain't my boys... Chase and Eric." Nick swaggered over.

Chase resisted rolling his eyes… he was trying to be nice after all but being around a guy like Nick just made him want to hurl. _For God's sakes, dude, you're making an absolute fool of yourself. Why don't you just be who you are and… go? _Nick certainly had enough money to gain respect wherever he went and he'd be better off without the likes of Chase and Eric.

"So, how's the party going?" He asked. Chase looked at him. Below the masquerade of coolness, there was an uncertainty in his eyes. Doubt that someone clever enough could exploit. Fortunately for him, Chase wasn't in the mood. Nick reminded him of someone he knew years ago and he softened considerably.

"It's great, bro." Chase replied. Eric looked slightly surprised but covered it up and grinned. "What he said." He jerked a thumb at Chase before returning to his whore.

"Well… if she ain't looking _fine_ tonight…" Nick murmured.

Chase frowned at him before looking in the direction where Nick was gazing. His jaw dropped open slightly and his eyes took on the same dreamy expression. Amber Everett had just stepped into the pergola, looking lost and completely out of place. Despite that, he noted, she was also stunning. He felt his heart slowly melting; losing itself to the vision before him.

He shook his head, snapping out of his trance but a small part of his heart still wished… Nick moved away to greet another guest and Chase was left alone. Well, no harm approaching her… they _were_, after all, to spend five days together with no one they knew except one another and it was a better time than any to try to warm up to her.

She had her back to him when he paused behind her. Tapping a finger on her shoulder, she suddenly turned around and he lost himself again in her eyes, her eyes which widened at him.

"Hi."

* * *

**A/N:** Next chapter: sweetness.

_**Crickes**_


End file.
